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MultiFEED Service
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- The new idea of merging car navigation and external network lets users download updated map information
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Under the brand name "carrozzeria," Pioneer's AVIC-1 car navigation system which was developed in 1990 was the first in the world to sport GPS functions in an aftermarket model. As the name Pioneer suggests, the company has continually been introducing new technologies and platforms to win the support of many drivers.
The new style of home network not limited to vehicle interior is established in all the lineup such as Cyber Navi car navigation system, AVIC-ZH900MD car navigation system released in 2004. The world's first service capable of updating car navigation map through the use of communication service is provided by "Brain Kit" that let users remove it from the car and "living Kit" that enable broadband communication.
The Data Center that Pioneer used in providing this service was based on MultiFEED services provided by INTERNET MULTIFEED.
We talked with Mr. Kazuyuki Uchiyama, manager of Pioneer's Mobile Entertainment Business Group which had planned and developed the Cyber Navi, about Pioneer's reasons for choosing MultiFEED services to provide the map data update service that it had been providing since 2005 and the company's hopes for the future.
- Pioneer wanted a high-grade Data Center capable of providing close to 20 gigabytes of update data in a stress-free environment
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"The appointment with INTERNET MULTIFEED occurred when a member of development came across the track record logged by a certain data center. This goes back to 2004, but since we were planning to release an updated version of the product we were already selling in 2005, we were looking for a reliable data center that could be accessed even during heavy traffic. So we immediately contacted INTERNET MULTIFEED." Mr. Uchiyama was looking for a data center that could effortlessly distribute huge volumes of data that would update map information.
 "Through our discussions, INTERNET MULTIFEED quickly understood our issues. It was a rather primitive data download service, but they gave us a proposal that we could rely on. More than just the content of the proposal, we were particularly concerned about the communication lines on the end user's side, since each user downloaded their data through a provider. We were worried that downloading huge volumes of data would adversely affect the providers' communication lines and that providers would lodge complaints with the users. But INTERNET MULTIFEED assured us that this wouldn't be a problem, as they could talk with the providers if it became necessary. These were words we felt we could trust."
In response to Mr. Uchiyama's requests, INTERNET MULTIFEED provided a test environment in which empirical tests could be conducted prior to development of the service. A server and 100-megabyte connectivity were prepared, and in about two months, joint tests were begun to verify downloads of distributed data at a live level.
"We were worried about how much time downloads would take and about what sorts of bottlenecks there might be in the communication line since there were problems with throughput on the navigation unit side. It was a lot for us to ask, but INTERNET MULTIFEED was extremely helpful in setting up an environment for us. They also proposed approaches that would be necessary for the tests and we were very happy with this support."
After conducting these tests, in the autumn of 2004 the two companies started preparing for the launch of service. The INTERNET MULTIFEED's services that Pioneer used were the Housing Service, Connectivity Service, and the Load Balancer. Of course, the total configuration took into consideration such variables as the number of Cyber Navi users, the volume of download data, and the timeframes when access traffic would be heavy.
- No worries about periods of heavy access traffic
A trouble-free network environment supported by load balancing specialists
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"Our full-scale download service went live in 2005. In this service, we first released an updated version of the application needed for overwriting maps in the Living Kit and then had users download the map information."
The actual map data came to more than 10 gigabytes which was split into files. There were also bottlenecks at the hard disk, and downloads took about 10 hours in some cases.
"We expected to have more complaints from customers about the time needed for downloading, but there were actually very few. This was because in the past they had to send us the hard disk and wait at least a week for the update. Now they were happy because they could start the download before they went to bed and it would be completed by morning. A high-quality network is truly indispensable for accommodating heavy access traffic during these 10 hours."
Releases of updated map data typically occur in late August each year, and an advance reservation system is used to avoid heavy access traffic. However, Pioneer says it is not possible to avoid seasonally heavy traffic for about three months from late August. INTERNET MULTIFEED has thus provided some flexibility in the contract whereby communication line capacity would be increased during this period.
"Actually, the fact that we chose INTERNET MULTIFEED to be a partner for this service was instrumental in our ability to provide stable operation during this period of heavy traffic. When we compared the level of knowledge and expertise in the area of load balancing with that of other companies, INTERNET MULTIFEED was light-years ahead. I believe that this is a specialized technology, as it always gave us headaches when we tried to provide other services from servers, too. This technical support was extremely attractive, and since we could also consult on matters concerning load balancer costs and settings, I frankly feel that we have been blessed with an extremely valuable partner."
Three years have already passed since the Cyber Navi map information download service was launched. During this time, there have been no major problems and it has been operating smoothly. End users have learned to appreciate the dramatic reduction in time required to update map information, the convenience of not having to send in their hard disk, and the easier methods of payment. At the time of last year's map data update, Pioneer reports that the number of users downloading data exceeded the number who sent in their disks.
- From map version updates to the Smart Loop
Innovative route guidance utilizing data uploaded by the user
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With the idea of the Living Kit that can be brought into the home from the car and the support of a high-grade network environment, where is Pioneer headed now with its car navigation systems? We asked Mr. Uchiyama about the next strategy.
 "Since car navigation units until recently have been mobile units, we have only been able to think along a narrow line similar to that of a mobile phone concerning the matter of downloading data. By bringing the kit into the home, not only is it possible to download large volumes of data, users can upload as well. Our service which takes advantage of upload functions is known as the Smart Loop. We have already started to provide it with Cyber Navi products released in 2006. A storage-type probe uploads customer data such as where the car has traveled and geographical location data to a server which then makes it possible for us to make improvements in such areas as the volume and quality of geographical location data, and to realize the quality of routes by generating detailed information on expected traffic congestion, for instance, and feed it back to the customer. Since there is the matter of securing an absolute volume of information for the service base, and since we need a high-quality, high-capacity network environment for receiving information sent from customers, it is no exaggeration to say that this service was made possible thanks to the superior services of INTERNET MULTIFEED."
Mr. Uchiyama added that in the end he was pleased not only with the network environment but also the high standard of technical expertise that supported this environment. According to Mr. Uchiyama, the attraction of INTERNET MULTIFEED's service was the support system that provided quick and appropriate responses to Pioneer's issues and concerns.
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